AFTER THE TOUR, THEY FOUND THEMSELVES obliged to leave with the group of Japanese tourists. They were told they would have to leave through the Portico of the Apostles, as the main door was already closed, as it was already past one o'clock. Once outside, Alissa decided to photograph the sculptures of the four disciples of Christ leaning on the columns. Meanwhile, the men exchanged opinions regarding the similarity between the Vélez chapel and that of Don Álvaro de Luna in Toledo and the Contestable in Burgos.
Gregory Evans listened to the architect's explanation, but at the same time watched his companion, who was squatting down to caress the lower edge of the iron-clad door. Umbert stopped talking when he noticed his interlocutor wasn't paying much attention to him, and began to look at his niece.
— May we ask what you're doing? — he asked her, finding her behavior strange. — Come and see this... — She gestured for them to approach the portico. — It seems Iacobus has been leaving his name inscribed all over the cathedral.
After crouching down, they saw the initials I.D.C. engraved on the lower part of the door, on the metal paneling. They were just a few inches from the ground.
— It's the closest thing to a signature — Gregory assured.
And, without a doubt, it's imperceptible. How did you manage to see it if it barely attracts attention?
— It was pure coincidence — she replied. — I was photographing the images of Saints Peter and James when I noticed some little dots engraved on the metal plate. The truth is, I was surprised myself.
— Did you notice? — Monroe asked. — His initials are inscribed on the lower part of the door. And in the manuscript, as I recall, it said something about looking down when standing before the ashlars that bear his name.
— Wait, I'll take a look. — Gregory took the photocopy out of his pocket again. He read for a few seconds and added, focused: — It seems you're right... Hmm..., and not only that, but you also assure us that the aforementioned hell will be revealed to us. — Then he adds:
"... I am and I am within myself."
— Indeed, it seems something akin to a fortune-telling.
— I've told you before that Freemasons are very given to this kind of games — the architect reminded her neutrally.
— Wait a moment! — Geovanna exclaimed. — I don't think we took his instructions literally... — She had remembered a rather significant detail, which, at the right time, they hadn't paid attention to. Did any of you look down at the ground when we discovered his initials on the chapel's outer walls?
— I don't understand — Gregory whispered.
There was a passing exchange of questioning glances. Geovanna shook her head from side to side, admitting they had made an unforgivable mistake.
— How stupid we were! — she insisted, grumpily. — Do you realize...?